Religious and Educational News
One hundred and ninety-two Americans are present at the fifth International Congress of Free Religions which convenes at Berlin during the first part of August.11 In speaking of the pressure of the ecclesiastical element upon the recent policies of the Spanish Government, Prime Minister Canalejas declared that in so doing “the religious element is invading a domain with which it has no concern.” He speaks truly. English statesmen think there is much splendor in the proposition of the New York American that all members of all parliaments in the world should meet in New York in 1913, yet also think it would fail to accomplish anything substantial. A Eucharistic Congress will meet in Montreal, September 6 to 11, the first to be held in America. It is estimated that 200,000 will be in attendance, including European princes, archbishops, and bishops, and American prelates. A seminary for the training of missionaries for the Moslem world has been established at Potsdam, Germany. Of all missionaries, those working in Mohammedan fields have the hardest task. They need special training. The National Educational Association will meet in San Francisco at its next session, as will also the International Sunday-school Association. Together these conventions will bring about 65,000 people to the city. Great Britain's budget estimates for the coming year are for revenues, £199,791,000; expenses, £198,930,000. Put in round numbers in dollars these sums would be $998,955,000 and $994,650,000. It has been found that fifty tons of flaky armor are in the plates of the North Dakota and the Utah. A conference of experts recently sat at Washington to fix the responsibility and cost of replacing. The wireless “S. O. S.” call brought help to the burning coast liner Momus. The vessel had 185 persons aboard, and there would have been great loss of life had not another vessel come to the rescue. July 21 Estrada's forces inflicted a defeat upon the government army in Comolpa, Nicaragua. The former captured great quantities of arms and 300 mules. The loss of life will amount to 500. One good woman, who lost her mother, her son, and her baby child but a few days apart, said she was trying to wear the clouds inside out, so that the people about her might see the silver lining. The gaekwar of Baroda, India, has asked an American, Dr. W. A. Borden, to take charge of the libraries of Baroda, and of the translation of Western classics into Hindustani. Improvements involving the sum of $400,000,000 are being made on the Russian Trans-Siberian Railroad. The reconstructions will be completed in 1915. A New York train was held up by five bandits July 23. Four have escaped the police. About $500 was taken before the robbers were frightened away. The census enumerators in Passaic, N. J., found 350 persons living in one house in that city. Forty-five men are said to occupy three rooms. The United States consumed over a billion pounds of coffee in 1909. And what good did it do? During the past year there were 52,407 matriculated students in German universities. Missionaries affirm that even the largest bookstores in Mexico do not sell Bibles. The allowance of George V of England has been increased by $65,000. Russian and Japanese Treaty.—The treaty between Russia and Japan which was thought to be such a menace to the United States and perhaps other powers, is not so considered when the full text has come to hand. Article 1 treats of commerce between the two nations and cooperation in railway transportation. Article 2 engages to maintain12and respect the status quo of Manchuria between Japan and Russia or between either of these two powers and China. Article 3 provides that in case any event arises of a nature to menace the status quo above mentioned, the two high contracting parties shall in each case enter into communication with each other in order to arrive at an understanding as to measures which may be deemed necessary to maintain existing conditions. It is looked upon now as a reaffirmation of the peaceful relations existing between the two powers. Ambassador O'Brien at Tokyo declares that the Japanese Government remains of one accord with the United States, and that there is no secret treaty behind the one just made public between Japan and Russia. Great Britain and Germany, it is said, stand in the same friendly relation.